1. M I N G - C H I E H C H I U
F E R R I S S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y
A U T O 4 8 0
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology
in Automotive Applications

2. Introduction
 Fuel cell technology is a response to environmental
concerns becoming more visible and voiced globally
 Automotive sector is a large contributing factor to pollution
world-wide
 Environmental issues has sparked development for greener
automotive technology in terms of energy production

3. Introduction
 Alternative fuels which produce close-to, or zero emissions
are very attractive
 Fuel cell technology operating on hydrogen seen to be
gaining popularity
 This presentation will reflect on history of hydrogen
technology, examine types of fuel cell technology, review
the H-Racer 2.0, and discuss the future of hydrogen
technology in automotive applications

4. History of Hydrogen Technology
 Discovery of Hydrogen dated back to 1625, when Johann
Baptista van Helmont introduced the word “gas”
 Hydrogen named by French chemist, ; hydrogen meaning
water-former in Greek
 De Rivas reciprocating engine developed by Isaac de Rivaz
in 1806

5. History of Hydrogen Technology
 Sir William Grove discovered chemistry for generating
electricity through electrolysis of water; considered “father
of the fuel cell”
 Space Age of the 1960s extensively researched and used
fuel cell technology by the NASA Space Program
 1966, GM produced the first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, the
Electrovan

6. Types of Hydrogen Technology
 Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles not considered true
ZEVs, since water and water vapor is a byproduct
 Similar to electric vehicles, but electricity is
generated through chemical reactions
 Main components: fuel cell stack, high pressure
hydrogen supply tank, air pump, humidification
system, cooling system, battery or capacitor,
electrical motor and transmission, control modules

7. Types of Hydrogen Technology

8. Types of Hydrogen Technology
 Direct Methanol (DMFC)
 Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM)
 Alkaline (AFC)
 Phosphoric Acid (PAFC)
 Molten Carbonate (MCFC)
 Solid Oxide (SOFC)

9. Types of Hydrogen Technology
 PEM the most commonly used fuel cell
 Components: fuel source (hydrogen typically), anode and
cathode, and electrolyte
 Hydrogen enters anode (negative) plate
 Oxygen enters cathode (positive) plate
 Catatyst lines inside of electrode plates, blocking electrons from
passing through
 Hydrogen enters the membrane, catalyst separates the electrons
from hydrogen atoms
 Membrane blocks electrons, diverts them through electrical
circuit to be used as energy
 Hydrogen protons allowed to pass through, combines with
oxygen to form water and water vapor

10. Types of Hydrogen Technology

11. Types of Hydrogen Technology
 Many concerns in order for fuel cell technology to be
utilized properly
 Support systems required, high maintenance
 High power output and density generate heat
 Storage concerns involving space and safety

12. H-Racer 2.0 Review
 Scale model fuel cell vehicle kit produced by Horizon Fuel
Cell Technologies as a educational model for students
 Requires complete self-assembly, features steering by
remote control
 $70 USD on Amazon.com

13. H-Racer 2.0 Review
 Includes: hydrogen station, car chassis, car body, PEM fuel
cell, 0.75 watt solar panel, infrared remote control,
instructional CD-ROM, and other various pieces of
hardware required for assembly

14. H-Racer 2.0 Review
 Contents packed and laid out neatly for easy
identification
 Instruction manual resembled Ikea assembly sheet
 Lots of detailed pictures and clear instructions
 Assembly hardware too small
 Flimsy plastic material, difficult to assemble
 Online reviews indicated high occurrences of
stripped screws

15. H-Racer 2.0 Review
 Operation:
 Refueling station utilizes power from the solar panel
or batteries to create hydrogen from water
 Model car is connected to the refueling station,
releasing hydrogen into the balloon inside the car
body
 Hydrogen is then utilized in combination with
oxygen to generate electricity using the PEM fuel cell
assembled to the car

16. H-Racer 2.0 Review

17. The Future of Hydrogen Technology
 Hydrogen fuel cell technology slowly gaining popularity due
to decreased cost
 In early days of development, platinum component made
mass production expensive
 Technology advancements in combination with
increasingly stringent emissions regulations have brought
manufacturing processes down

18. The Future of Hydrogen Technology
 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell
 Honda FCX Clarity
 Toyota Mirai
 GM HydroGen
 Hyundai Blue

19. The Future of Hydrogen Technology

20. The Future of Hydrogen Technology
 Lack of infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling
 2012 study shows only 58 hydrogen stations compared to
5,200 electric vehicle charging stations
 Advancements in leading fuel technologies make fuel cell
vehicles hard to compete in the market
 Performance, cost, reliability, and durability must be equal,
if not more attractive